


Stamp of the Shepherd

by lightningrani



Category: Cosmere - Brandon Sanderson, Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan
Genre: Character Study, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Gen, Identity Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-24
Updated: 2015-05-24
Packaged: 2018-03-31 23:12:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3996763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lightningrani/pseuds/lightningrani
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was Rand al'Thor, and he would do anything in his power to keep it this way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stamp of the Shepherd

**Author's Note:**

> The Cosmere aspect is from Sanderson's short story, The Emperor's Soul. Only thing you need to know about it is its magic system: people are able to rewrite objects' appearances (and even people's personalities) with objects called soulstamps.

“I am Rand al’Thor,” he muttered under his breath.

The soulstone was smooth against his touch. He could remember a time when it was plentiful, when people used it to make statues, grand pieces of art—

He wrenched his thoughts away from that direction. That was not him.

He was Rand al’Thor.

The others had yet to notice. They were too worried that he was going crazy, from the taint. Oh, he could feel that curling on the edges of his consciousness, ready to spring in a time of weakness.

That was why he was holding an iron chisel in his hand, rather than sculpting this soulstamp with saidin. Seals carved with the Power were better than the ones carved by hand. Why, he could a remember a time when Mierin—

No. He was Rand al’Thor.   _He was Rand al’Thor._

It was hard to carve this in secret, without anyone learning about it. People flocked to him in his free time, either for his safety or to plan.

And when he was alone, well, the times when he was Rand al’Thor were shrinking.

A part of him wondered if it would be for the better. Rand al’Thor was a shepherd, an innocent young man who lived a life of relative peace, the greatest fear in his life wondering how he would handle women. Not a man dealing with ancient evils or dangerous politics or magic at the risk of his sanity.

There was times when he was tempted to carve that into the soulstamp. But no, that was too unrealistic, after all he had been through. Better to keep those scars to ensure the stamp would take, rather than risk it all for a childish dream.

He let out a bitter laugh. He, a child? The man who had fought armies and armies, only to fall because of love. Why, he was no boy—

_He was Rand al’Thor._

Taking a deep breath, he continued to carve. The stamp would never last for long enough, and would require tweaking as time went on. But, at least this way, Rand al’Thor would have a chance of surviving.

Rand al’Thor’s body had a destiny to fulfill, of course.  It would make it to the end. But his soul? The Pattern cared little about who defeated evil one last time. And if it had to sacrifice a shepherd to reach that goal? Why did it care?

**Author's Note:**

> I'm halfway through the fifth book, so I'm assuming Rand solves this problem eventually, but his current angst levels... well. He might do something dramatic to make sure he stays himself.


End file.
